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@teiten gte-trs lstmt @ffies IMPROVEMENT IN BE-HIVES.

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TO ALL WIIOM IT MAY CONGERN:

Be it known that I, E. A. FLOYD, of Macomb, in the county of McDonough, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Bce-Hives; and I do hereby declare that the following is a clear, full, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, melting part of tnis specilication, and tothe lett-ers of reference marked thereon.

lFig-nrc 1 is :t vertical section on thc line a: a; of iig. 2.

Figure 2 is a. vertical section on the lino 2 e of iig. l; and

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the inner hex, removed from the hive.

My invention consists in constructing ahive with an inner box to contain the bees and honey, and having' metal protection against the bee-moth, together' with other norcl details.

I construct the body of the hive, A, of a rectangular box, open at the top, and having a bottom attached, as shown in the drawings. Within this I fit a box, B, somewhat less in size, so as to leave a space between the inner and outer cases, all around, as shown in figs, l and 2. This inner box B is less in height than the outer box A, and has attached around its lower portion n metal plate, 11, made of tin or other smooth metal, up which the moth or its larvae cannot climb. This metal piece b'rests closely upon the bottom of the hive, all around,

`except at the centre on two sides, where an opening, m, is made for the bees to enter. A corresponding opening,

o, is made in the case A, on one side, and e similar opening is made on thc opposite side, extending the entire lwidth of the Case A, into which is iittcd a block, Z, and which can be removed at wili, for `rentilating er cleaning ont the hive. A covered passageway, 7L, extends from the opening at l into the inner case B, so that moths entering the passage made by the reiner-ai ofthe block l at any other point than this passageway n, cannot enter the inner case, but must remain in the space between the inner and ont-er cases. The bees wili irotect the narrow passages m, so that moths cannot enter the inner ease B, and hence, if they enter at all, they will be confined to the space between the cases; and if the larvae are hatched in this space, they being unable te ascend the smooth surface of plate. Z), they will thns be prevented from entering case B at the top. Across-the top ofthe box B extends a series of triangular' bers c, to the under sido of which. the bees will attach their comb. Resting on the top of the outer case A are one or more boards, E, which have hoies in them for the becs to pass up into the surlilns-honey boxes D which restthereon, and nre covered by the upper box C', as shown in 'iigs. 1 and These boxes D have their upper surfaces composed of plates of glass, c, to' enable their interior to be examined at pleasure without removing them. To the sides of the inner box B, at the topis pivoted a har, a, as shown clearly in iig. This bar is of proper thickness to fill the space between the inner and outer cases, :is shown in section in l and 2. These bars hcing pivoted at one end, can be turned up, as indicated in red in fig. 3, so as to permitthc clearing away of any webs or moths that may accumulate between thc cases. The ease or box B can be lifted entirety ont of the hive with its contents whenever desired, for any purpose what cvcr. At the same time the two boxes thus arranged constitute a double wall, with an ainspnce between them to protect the bees from coid and moisture.

Having thus described my invention, what claim, is

1. A bee-hive, consisting of an outer case, resting close on a bottonz-hoerd, and an inner case, B, having its lower portion consisting `of a strip of smooth metal, with its edge fitting tight on the bottom-board, with the covered passage-way n, leading from the outside to the inner case, as shown and described.

2. The pivoted bars o, arranged to operate in connection with the eases A and B, as described.

n. A. FLoYn Witnesses:

K. l. Mense, F. G. Mensa. 

